The present invention relates to firefighter garments and, more particularly, to systems for supporting the pant liner and pant shell component of a firefighter garment.
Firefighter garments typically comprise a coat and pant, each having an outer shell made of a heat and moisture resistant material and an inner, removable lining made of a heat-insulating material. The inner lining also includes a moisture barrier, and is easily separable from the shell for cleaning, since the outer shell often requires a stronger cleaning solution than the liner.
In order to provide full protection against the extreme heat and flame hazards encountered by a firefighter, both the shell and liner must be worn. However, firefighters occasionally remove the inner lining, either in the belief that it is not required for the particular task at hand or because the firefighter anticipates working in warm weather in which the liner would act to trap heat and prevent air circulation. Unfortunately, the firefighter who removes the inner liners of his pant or jacket runs the risk of sustaining sever injury should he sustain an unexpected flame or blast of hot air.
Accordingly, firefighter pants and jackets are designed to discourage the wearing of the shells without the liners. With respect to the pant, one method of discouraging liner removal is to design the pant so that the liner carries buttons which engage button holes formed in the outer shell. Both the pant liner and shell are supported on the wearer by suspenders which attach to the buttons. Since the suspenders provide the only means for supporting the shell, it is not possible to wear the pant shell without wearing the pant liner as well since the pant liner carries the buttons that engage the suspenders.
A disadvantage with such apparel is that the weight of the pant and liner bear on the suspenders and may chafe or otherwise cause discomfort to a wearer. Accordingly, there is a need for an alternative to a pant and suspender system which provides a greater degree of comfort than suspenders yet discourages the wearing of the pant shell without its liner.